Reminiscing about You
by kiwi4me
Summary: He thought it was for the best, but he can't help but remember the past. Written for JovialShogun!


**Shikamaru and Ino: Reminiscing about You**

_By kiwi4me_

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_Here is my first ShikaIno fic! This is written for **JovialShogun**! I hope you like it! Now on with the reading!_

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They both stood staring at one another as a short breeze flew by blowing her long golden hair away from her face. Her light blue pools stare into his dark ebony eyes. His intense and serious stare bore into her soul; her determined and confident stare read into his mind. There was no need for words or noises as the two best friends stare at one another for so long under the bright sun that hovers above them as if it's watching their every motion.

He was standing straight, but his shoulders were slightly slouched forward. His hands dug deep into his pant's pockets. She stood tall like she always does, but one knee was slightly bent so that she was putting more weight on one side of her body. He broke away from their stare and looked up into the sky to see clouds parting from one another. He smirked inside feeling it a bit ironic.

The clouds are like him and Ino, breaking apart. Yet he knows that eventually the clouds would join once again, but he's unsure about their relationship. He pried his eyes away from the cloud to look back at the blonde beauty who was still observing him. She could see it in his eyes. She could read him so well.

_I don't think this is going to work_…

She knows he knows that she knew. He probably expects her to scream and yell, but at this moment she wasn't sure if she'd even cry. They promised that their friendship wouldn't deteriorate if their love relationship didn't work, but it was easier to say than go through with. A longer silence between them enveloped them as villagers walk by not noticing the event unfolding in front of them.

There was no need to think about it, no need to complain because both of them knew, knew that it was over. All the fights, screams, and wounds they had gone through the past couple of years were all too much now. There was nothing left to say as another breeze flew by a bit longer than the last. He waited to see what she'd say. Would she agree or would she let them go? He wasn't sure, so he waited. All that escaped her perfectly pink lips were a simple word.

"Goodbye."

With this said, they both stared at one another a few more seconds before she turned and walk away. He watched her retreating figure disappear in the crowd of villagers. He gave off a small sigh and walked away slowly as he took another quick glance behind him.

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3 months later

Choji sat with Shikamaru playing Shoji under a large tree to shade them from the sun. The pineapple head made the first move as the round man stared at him.

"Have you spoken to her?" he brought up and moved a piece waiting for his friend to answer his question.

"Why?" he said lazily, moving a piece as he spoke.

"Look," Choji started to say seriously, "… answer my question won't you?"

Shikamaru didn't say anything as he waited for Choji to move a piece. His brown haired friend finally gave off a sigh and move a piece after realizing the genius wasn't going to say anything. Shikamaru just stared at the board seriously as if planning a new move to trap Choji, but in reality he wasn't. He was thinking about his friend's question. He in fact hasn't seen Ino in these 3 mouths and wondered if she was okay and all. He's still wasn't sure what he actually feels for his blond friend, but he concluded that it was a brotherly feeling and nothing more.

He finally moved a piece after a brief silence and waited once again.

"You should talk to her," Choji stated, "… I know what you feel about her."

This made him look up at his friend who just gave him a smile. He was indeed interesting in what his round friend has to say, but of course he didn't really show it.

"What do you mean?" he asks eyes staring at him. Choji's smile grew more realizing that his friend is a supposed genius who knows nothing when it comes to love.

"I see the way you look at her, you know…" Choji said moving a piece, "… admit, you love her."

Shikamaru just sat there stunned at what his friend had just said. Why should he admit it? He only loves her as a sister and nothing else, so he says.

"I love her as a sister, you already knew that Cho," he said moving a piece. Choji just gave him a smile once again.

"No you don't," he said knowing all to well how Shikamaru felt after moving another piece. The pineapple head was about to say something when he heard her voice.

"Choji!" she screamed over to her swirly cheek friend, "Guess what!"

"What is it Ino, are you okay?" Choji asks brotherly as he looked Ino over. Ino gave him a hug and kept the smile in place. She was practically beaming so bright that it hurts Shikamaru just to look at her. He placed his head on his palm while his elbows were against his knee. He glance at the opposite direction that Ino was in noticing that she totally ignored him. It really did hurt, ever since the break up, both haven't spoken to each other since. He didn't mind though, she was too bossy, too loud, too mean… yet he missed them all.

"No Cho, Sai asked me out!" she screamed happily. Choji gave her a warm smile but knew Shikamaru heard as well.

"Oh, so your dream guy finally asked you out huh?" he asked teasingly not wanting her to become upset. She nodded furiously still smiling.

"Ino, I dunno about this…" Choji started to say as her smile faded. She always respected Choji's opinions and took them into consideration.

"What do you mean Cho?" she asks confusion upon her features.

"Sai is a little… weird," he stated and seeing her still confused, he continued, "… he's so fake and emotionless Ino… and you're so emotional… I don't think that he's right for you."

Choji gave her a 'sorry' look and she just nodded. She wasn't sure what to think at the moment and felt like she needed another opinion.

"What do you think Shikamaru?" she asks as she turned to face him. He was startled, but turned to face her and gave her a shrug of his shoulders.

"If you're happy with him then it's okay," he said staring right at her. She gave him a smile and noticed Sai coming toward them. She said her thanks and left the two men sitting watching her leave with the dark haired man.

"Cho," Shikamaru said still looking at where Ino was at, "… it's your turn…"

Choji just gave him a large smile and Shikamaru looked down and smirked.

"I won," the swirly cheek man laughed. The lazy genius just gave him a smile and thought about the irony once again.

_He won both ways…_

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1 years later

He hasn't seen her since the day when he found out Sai had asked her out. They haven't spoken since then either… not that they even held a conversation to begin with. He always walked by the flower shop hoping to see her, but didn't. He went to the hospital, but she wasn't there either. He wouldn't dare ask Tsunade if she was on a mission, because knowing her… she'd probably play matchmaker or something.

Some days he forgotten her completely and he even tried to move on… after all, he was the one to end it. He dated a girl from Suna named Temari. He saw so many familiarities between her and Ino and it's no wonder he was attracted with her. She was bossy, mean, and a blonde just like Ino… but it didn't work. Maybe finding someone so similar to your ex was a stupid thing to do.

He saw Ino once when he was walking through the market picking some stuff up for his ill mother. She seemed happy as she kept glancing behind her at the dark haired man and it also seemed like his smile was… genuine? Shikamaru shook it off and walked away from the couple wishing he never saw them, yet wanting to see her. He's confused and for the first time, he has no backup plans or any plans at all.

He'd stay up at night looking at the picture on his nightstand of a picture with Ino and him. They both looked so happy. He couldn't help but smile a warm one when looking at the picture. He remembers it so clearly.

_It was their one year anniversary and Ino decided to make a cake for the occasion. Choji had a camera and brought it to take pictures. When the cake came out burnt, Ino was so embarrassed that she put tons and tons of frosting over it. Shikamaru, not knowing that it was burnt, took a large bite of the cake before Choji could warn him. He immediately forced himself to not barf and swallow it down. Ino, impressed laughed with Choji._

_Shikamaru looked like he was about to faint until Ino grab a bunch of the wipe cream and placed it on his face. Choji took a couple of pictures hoping to blackmail his friends in the future. Shikamaru did the same to Ino and both just laughed long and hard. They kissed and smiled at one another forgetting that Choji was taking numerous amounts of pictures._

The picture Shikamaru is holding was the one where there was wipe creams on their faces. The rest of the pictures were in the living room that he still hasn't taken down. He gave off a deep sigh as he felt the need to smoke. He reached for the drawer where he had cigarettes in, but remembered Ino bombarding him on the causes of what smoking can cause. So he stopped for her, but now that he's alone again… it's okay if he does it right?

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10 min after

He walked back into his house with a pack of cigarettes in his hand. He headed to the kitchen where he last left his lighter and grabbed a cigarette. He walked to his backyard and sat on a bench that he and Ino had bought. He played with the lighter as he stared up into the stars. He remembered sitting out all night wrapped with a blanket around the two of them. They would point out what they saw and look for astrological signs. He smirked at the thought and placed the cigarette in his mouth. He then placed the lighter near his cigarette only to have it snatched away from him. He looked up startled to see blue eyes staring intensely at him. He cursed himself for getting too distracted with thoughts and not noticing she had shown up… wait… she showed up?

"What do you think you're doing?" Ino ask as she sat herself next to him. He just stared at her then up at the stars shining its lights down at the world.

"What do you want Ino?" he didn't want to sound harsh, or lazy, but it came out that way.

"Geez, just wanted to check on you," she said as she huff and pouted her lips. How he missed her doing those silly childish ways that just looked adorable on her.

"Well, as you can see, I'm still living and breathing," he stated bored as he looked at her. She stared at him for a moment before remembering the lighter in her hand.

"Not for long if you keep smoking," she said softly as she looked up at the sky. Shikamaru just smiled at her comment and looked up at the sky as well. After a small silence between them, Ino spoke up.

"I miss you Shika," she admitted not taking her eyes off the sky, "… it's been so long since we talked…" this time she did take her eyes off the sky to look at him. His eyes were already on her and she could see hope, confusion, and then sadness.

"How are things with you and Sai?" he asks staring in front of him. She gave off a small sigh before answering his question.

"Were just friends… we were never together…" she said sadly, "… well, maybe for a month and that was it…"

"Oh," he said and turned to her, "… I'm sorry."

Ino startled by his apology searched his eyes to see if it was the truth coming from his lips. She gave him a genuine smile that she rarely gave anyone else and kissed his cheeks.

"I mean it you know," she said leaning her head on his shoulder, "… I do miss you."

He wrapped his arm around her and pulled her in closer. He couldn't help but chuckle slightly from the change of events. Here he was moping around depress when Ino was doing the same. She actually had the confidence and guts he doesn't have to go and see him. Damn, that's why he loves her.

"Hey Ino," he said softly as she gave an 'Hm?', "… I miss you too."

She gave off a giggle and looked up to kiss him full on the lips. It was passionate and intense with so much love that they missed out on one another. They broke free and stared at one another once again. His eyes held so much emotion all swirled into one. She couldn't help but smile happily as he smiled back warmly. His eyes, even though clouded with feelings, only held three words.

_I love you_.

Ino leaned her face to kiss him once more, but before their lips touched, she whispered four words that kept that smile on his face even after he has fallen asleep.

"I love you more."

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Yeah! I always have a thing for ShikaIno but never really did anything about it ahaha!

But I hope you all like it especially you **JovialShogun**!

Rate and review please!

Love,

kiwi4me~


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